Film Lab and The Korea Society Partner to Host New Performance Read and Workshop

NEW YORK - Nov. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- The Korea Society and the Asian American Film Lab™ (“Film Lab”), along with KAFFNY, teamed up to host the Film Lab’s signature “Unfinished Works” program on Thursday night. The Film Lab's Unfinished Works program constitutes its longest running program, ongoing for 15 consecutive years.  Unfinished Works allows writers to workshop, in a structured and constructive environment, unfinished plays, screenplays and television scripts.  It also serves as a bridge between actors, writers and directors of color.

The program included a screening of filmmaker Savanna Washington’s documentary, “Playing Frisbee In North Korea,” and writer Willem Lee’s new television pilot, “Nic of Time,”in which a cynical 21st century time traveler trapped in 1991 becomes the unlikely father figure to his optimistic, 11-year-old self.  The following Film Lab Actor Directory members performed the television pilot in a performance read:  Graham Powell, John Wu, Austin Ku, Erwin Falcon, Jinn Kim, Jennifer Betit Yen, andMallory Wu.  The screening and reading were followed by a constructive workshop session, led by Film Lab’s Unfinished Works Coordinator, Lorna Nowve.  The audience participated in the creative process both in written and verbal form.

Nowve summed up, explaining, “Our event had great appeal to our diverse audience of filmmakers and film devotees. We were delighted to present two diverse works. "Nic Of Time" is a comedic pilot script in the early stages of development that will be read by a remarkable cast.  Savanna Washington will be sharing with us some remarkable footage from her documentary, "Playing Frisbee In North Korea."  Photos from the event are available at:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.102019389550351...

Upcoming Film Lab events include a screening and panel on diversity in media at the Time Warner New Media Center on November 13^th and a Holiday Fundraising Gala on December 6^th.  For more information and to RSVP, please visit www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/

About Savanna Washington - Producer/Director
Ms. Washington received her M.F.A. in Directing from City College in New York. While attending City College she was awarded a Colin Powell Graduate Fellowship, the first filmmaker to be honored. As a community activist and activist educator, Savanna has used her life to effect change. Ms. Washington has over 15 years experience as a writer, director, and activist. As part of her activism, she was the Founding & Managing Editor of the Adams Avenue Herald, a community newspaper in San Diego. She was awarded a Puffin Grant for her film work on urban greening and was recently awarded a $25,000 grant from the Korean Issues & Insights Endowment for her current documentary, “Playing Frisbee in North Korea.”  She is currently an Assistant Professor at City University of New York, teaching Video Arts Production, Screenwriting, and Intro to Contemporary Media. She resides in Harlem.

About Willem Lee and Co-Writer Mayuran Tiruchelvam
Willem Lee is a New York based filmmaker and recent graduate of Columbia University’s MFA Film Program with focus on directing.  His thesis film, The End of the World, premiered at 2012 Columbia University Film Festival and was awarded the IFP Audience Choice Award. It was also the recipient of the Best Short Film Award at KAFFNY. It has gone on to exhibit at festivals domestic and abroad. He also produced Amateur Dictator, which was awarded Jury Honors and Student Selects at this years Columbia University’s Film Festival.  Willem recently returned from his second trip to North Korea where he was the cinematographer for documentary film director, Dai Sil Kim-Gibson. He is currently working a number of feature film scripts, including a multicultural and generational NYC multi-narrative drama entitled Abba’s Orphans, Syndicate, a thriller (with co-writer Mayuran Tiruchelvam), and Paris Syndrome: A Traveler’s Dilemma, an existential film noir.  Willem has taught film directing at Columbia University and guest lectured at School of Visual Arts and Sacred Heart University. He holds a B.A. in philosophy from Gordon College.

Mayuran Tiruchelvam is a screenwriter and producer of narrative and documentary films. He is a 2014 Sundance Institute Creative Producing Fellow.  His feature screenwriting and producing debut, THE GIRL IS IN TROUBLE, Executive Produced by Spike Lee, was a selection of the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival’s All Access program. A New York based crime thriller, THE GIRL IS IN TROUBLE will be released in 2015.  With producing partner Gerry Kim, Mayuran produced TO BE TAKEI- a portrait of actor, activist and pop-culture maverick GEORGE TAKEI, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.  While earning an MFA at Columbia University’s Graduate Film School, Mayuran received the Arthur Krim Memorial Award for Excellence in Producing and the Entertainment Partners Best Producer Award. He served as a Fellow in Producing, Post-Production, and Television Writing.

About The Cast
Talent performing in the television pilot performance read were selected from the Film Lab Actor Directory by Willem Lee and included:
Austin Ku
Erwin Falcon
Graham Powell
Jennifer Betit Yen
Jinn Kim
John Wu
Mallory Wu
For more information, please visit:  http://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/actor-directory1/

About Asian American Film Lab
The Film Lab began in 1998 and its membership comprises professionals, artists and other talented individuals who all share the common goal of creating great film and promoting Asian American filmmakers and other filmmakers of color, and the visibility of their stories and characters in film and television.  The Lab runs monthly programs to promote gender and ethnic diversity in film and television.  The Asian American Film Lab and Jennifer Betit Yen created AAFL TV in August 2013 to address an explosion of interest in diverse, original creative content along with a corresponding rising level of dissatisfaction with mainstream programming for a lack of diversity and/or perpetuation of racial stereotypes.  AAFL TV partnered with NYCMedia, New York City’s flagship media station, to begin airing a television series entitled “Film Lab Presents,” consisting of 30 minute episodes of racially diverse original contemporary entertainment content in January 2014.  The Film Lab currently airs television series, hosted by Jennifer Betit Yen, on NYCLife and CrossingsTV.   Season II is directed by Ryan Hayward.  Season III will begin November 20, 2014, and will be directed by William Alexander Runnels.

The Asian American Film Lab is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

www.asianamericanfilmlab.com (view past Shootout films on “AAFL TV”)

info@film-lab.org